


Healer Doctor Granger

by Mavynn



Series: Healer Doctor Granger [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-12
Updated: 2018-01-12
Packaged: 2019-03-03 20:26:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13348890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mavynn/pseuds/Mavynn
Summary: As Healer and Doctor to both Muggles and Wizards with PTSD and depression Hermione was ready for anything except Narcissa Malfoy walking in to her Muggle office looking for help for Draco. Can she maintain her professionalism or will lines in the doctor patient relationship be blurred or worse obliterated altogether. And will an adorable 7 year old make it better or worse?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger Warning: Deals with issues of depression, thoughts of suicide and PTSD. I, like many others, have dealt with depression, anxiety and the stigma that comes with both. It is not my intent to treat, diagnose or in any way mock or treat with insensitivity those who face these issues. Because of that I will not go into any details regarding the specifics of any therapy sessions. They would be based only on my experiences of therapy and there are many different styles of therapy. If you are battling depression or thoughts of self harm I strongly urge you to speak to someone and seek professional help.

The war was ten years over and Hermione was pleased with the way her life had turned out. She was on track for a top position in the Ministry, her private muggle practice was going amazingly well and her Ministry practice was equally successful. Harry and Ron had both rolled their eyes, but after Hogwarts she had attended both Muggle University and Wizard Healing School completing both in record time. She was affectionately known as Healer Doctor Granger.  
Her two children Rose age seven and Hugo age five were doing very well. Both were bright, happy well adjusted children who would grow up free from the fear and pain that had followed her throughout her early years.  
Hermione had nearly finished a long exhausting day. It seemed no matter wizarding or muggle world there were always wars and always those who suffered their effects. Today she had seen a young woman who had lost her legs to an explosive device and a young girl who had lost her father.  
Hermione was waiting on her last patient of the day, Druella Rosier, the name sounded familiar, but she could not remember why. Of course there was more than one Death Eater named Rosier but they were all men and all safely dead or in Azkaban. And none of those pure blood extremists were going to walk into a muggle psychiatrist office.  
She now used her healing skills to assist those who were struggling with PTSD after effects from the war. The ministry had found her efforts quite useful and she maintained an office there, but this was her muggle office and while not impossible for a wizard or witch to find, few bothered.  
She sent an owl to Ron and the children who were vacationing in Romania for the summer visiting Charlie. Ron and she had divorced quite amicably two years ago realizing they were much better friends than spouses. There had been few tears, no angry words and they were still best friends. They loved each other very much and very deeply, just not romantically. It had started to feel like incest after awhile. When Ron came home one day and told her he just could not stand the idea of continuing to sleep with her all she could say was “Thank Merlin!” He laughed and asked if they could divorce so he could start dating again she had cheerfully laughed and signed the paperwork the next week. Molly and Arthur were more upset than the two of them had been until they figured out they actually saw MORE of the two together than they had before and that it was actually less tense and awkward.   
Hermione was musing this over after her owl Emalina left when her nurse Sarah announced that Mrs. Rosier was checked in and in the waiting room. “Please see her in Sarah and hold my calls”  
Hermione was prepared for any eventuality she had believed. She was not prepared for Narcissa Malfoy to walk through her office door.   
“Mrs. Malfoy….” She said, uncertainly.  
“Please forgive the ruse Healer Granger, I was not certain you would see me if I booked an appointment under my own name, so I booked it under my mother’s.”  
Narcissa, Hermione noted looked as poised and elegant as ever but was clearly under a great deal of strain. The last seven years since the war ended had been kind to her beauty, but her mental health was clearly suffering. She was hovering in the doorway, also uncertain.  
“Please come in Mrs. Malfoy, I would never turn away a patient in need.” She motioned to the chair across from her.  
Narcissa sat down gracefully in the chair “I am not certain where to start…”  
“How about we start with a cup of tea?” Hermione poured them both a cup and waited patiently.  
“I am here for my son. He has been having a rough time since Astoria abandoned him and Scorpius.” Narcissa took a sip of her tea looking sad and uncomfortable.   
“I see. And does Draco know you have come to see me?” Hermione could not imagine Draco would be pleased with his mother discussing his personal life with her.  
“He knows I intended to come.” She looked evasive.  
“And how did he feel about that? Was he agreeable?”  
“Healer Granger, I hope that what we say in this office is confidential.”  
“Perfectly. At this point as far as I am concerned you and not your son, are my patient, meaning you are protected by doctor patient confidentiality. In the muggle world that means I would lose my license to practice if I were to discuss anything that occurred in this office.”  
“I see. Draco neither agrees nor disagrees with anything. He does not leave his room. He does not speak to anyone, not even Scorpius. This is very difficult on his son. I am afraid he may do harm to himself.”  
“Have you considered having him placed in St. Mungos for his own safety?”  
“Lucius won’t hear of it. The scandal would be unbearable.”  
“And the scandal of having me treat him would be bearable?”  
Narcissa looked much more uncomfortable “Lucius has agreed on the condition that we tell people that you are Scorpius… tutor.”  
“You want me, with my credentials to pose as a TUTOR?”  
“Please Healer Granger, we will pay whatever fee you ask, we will not question your healing methods, we just want our son to be better.”  
“This is not a matter of money, Mrs. Malfoy… but I cannot and will not return to Malfoy Manor. I would agree to see him at my office at the Ministry if you can get him to agree to go there.”  
“We no longer reside at the Manor. It held horrors for my family as well. Nothing compared to yours I know, but we have another home. It has no shared memories for any of us. Will you please just come and evaluate him? I am pleading with you to help my son.”  
Hermione knew how much Narcissa loved her son and how far she would go to protect him. She had defied Voldemort to protect him and saved Harry in the process. Hermione could not in good conscience refuse to at least look at Draco.  
“I will agree to visit. I cannot make any promises, but I will evaluate his condition.”  
“I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your agreeing to assist us Healer Granger.”  
Hermione nodded and saw Narcissa to the door after they made an appointment to meet on Thursday the following week. They shook hands at the door briefly and Hermione gathered her belongings to go home.  
She had never desired to break the Doctor/Patient confidentiality clause before but she wished she could discuss this with someone this time. It was not that she was still harboring a grudge from childhood. She just had no idea to open old wounds or place herself in proximity to people who had played such starring roles in one of those most painful periods of her life. Draco had been a child. His parents had not.  
But there was a child involved. One the same age as Rose. That was a consideration as well. If Ron could not get out of bed wouldn’t she want someone to help him get better so Rose would have a father again?   
And why was she still debating this in her own mind when she had already made an appointment? Would she change her mind? Was she hoping she would?


	2. Chapter 2

The week passed faster than she had hoped it would and Thursday found herself at the address Narcissa had left her.  
It may not have been THE Manor, but it was certainly A Manor. The sprawling grounds were certainly beautiful she had to admit. Green lawns, gorgeous fountains, lush gardens and a regulation sized Quidditch pitch. Nothing but the best for the Malfoys. She rolled her eyes.  
She was greeted at the front door by a house elf who fortunately for the Malfoys was not in the condition she had seen Dobby in when she had first encountered him. The elf led her in to a drawing room and announced her to the elder Malfoys.  
Lucius Malfoy did not rise to greet her, but Narcissa did, and offered her a seat then went to stand behind her husband with a hand resting lightly against the back of his chair.  
“Healer Granger we are pleased you could make it.” Narcissa said somewhat hesitantly “I know your schedule must keep you very busy.”  
“It is my pleasure Mrs. Malfoy.”  
“Let us discuss our terms” Lucius cut in curtly.  
Hermione raised an eyebrow at him “The only terms I have agreed to are an evaluation of Draco’s condition, no more no less. Then I will make a recommendation for a Healer who will be more … suitable… for your needs.”  
Lucius tented his fingers “There is a reason you believe you are unsuited?”  
“Several. Would you prefer my list itemized or alphabetized?”   
She could swear she almost saw the edges of his lips begin to pull up. “We are looking for the best care for our son. You have come highly recommended.”  
“And my… pedigree if you will… does not bother you?”  
“Not in the least in this instance. If a baboon came as highly recommended as you I would engage the baboon.”  
“How flattering. Though I suspect in this instance you would find the greater compliment to be to the baboon.” This time she was certain he was nearly smiling.  
Narcissa coughed delicately. “I can take you to Draco when you are ready.”  
“Yes, if you please. As always a pleasure Mr. Malfoy.”  
“That is Lord Malfoy.”  
“I am sure your parents are quite proud Mr. Malfoy.”  
She heard his laughter trail after her as Narcissa led her from the room.  
She was led upstairs to a well appointed suite of rooms. One that could easily be said to be a fully self contained apartment. Narcissa went ahead of her.   
“Draco, Healer Granger is here to see you, are you decent?”  
“If I said no, would it keep you and Granger out?”  
“Draco, please, we discussed this, we agreed to try.”  
“You and father agreed to try. I don’t recall being involved in that decision. I told you then I am perfectly healthy and of sound mind and body.”  
As they were talking Narcissa had led her into a sitting room and motioned for her to be seated and poured her a cup of tea.   
“Never the less, Healer Granger is here, in your sitting room, and I am going downstairs to join your father.” With that she abruptly left.  
Hermione had dealt with difficult patients before. In fact, the patients who came before her completely willingly were very much in the minority.  
“Mr. Malfoy,” she began quietly, calmly and professionally “I have agreed to do no more than come and give your parents a professional evaluation. You say you are of sound mind and body, all I need do then is verify that write it up in a professional evaluation to them and I can go back to my office and close the case. Even were you found not to be of sound mind and body my duty begins and ends with an evaluation. I am no more interested in providing your treatment than you are in having me provide it.”  
Perhaps it was the fact that she called him Mr. Malfoy. Perhaps it was the shock of hearing Hermione Granger’s voice in his sitting room, he could never say why but he came out from his room. With a sneer on his face, but he came out.  
“Granger.”  
“Mr. Malfoy, thank you for agreeing to see me.” She was shocked by his appearance but was professional enough not to show it. He was gaunt, his once silky looking hair (where the hell had that thought come from?) and penetrating, silver eyes (silver eyes? Penetrating? what was wrong with her) were now lack luster and dull.  
“What makes you think I have agreed to see you?”  
“My apologies, you are correct I should not have presumed.”  
“Ok, you just called me Mr. Malfoy twice thanked me and apologized. What is your game?”  
“No game, at the moment, you are my patient; one does not get far by antagonizing and acting rudely to a patient.”  
“Even one with our history?”  
“Right now, we have no history. You are someone who may or may not need help. I am here to evaluate what kind of help, if any, and recommend someone who can provide that help, or no one if none is required.”  
“But not you?”  
“No, not me.”  
“And why the hell not you?” She was perplexed by why he sounded irritated by this.  
“I cannot understand why everyone in this household keeps asking me that, including your father. Among other reasons, I have a full patient load. It would be unfair to them to leave their care to other Doctors and Healers.”  
“But not unfair to me to leave my care to another Healer Doctor?  
“It is Healer or Doctor, depending on whether or not you are a muggle or wizard, not both.”  
“Still a know it all who can’t help correcting people, I see some things never change.”  
“Well, then this should come as no surprise when I remind you that you are the one who assured me and your mother that you are perfectly healthy and don’t need a Healer or Doctor of any kind.”  
“I am and I don’t.” he was practically shouting now.  
“Then why are we arguing about it?”  
He ran a hand through his hair “Damned if I know.”  
“Mr. Malfoy … Draco … it is clear you are not doing well. This is not a personal judgment it is a professional one. I cannot and will not discuss this with your parents, no matter what they believe I intend to do. I have a confidentiality obligation to all of my patients. You need help. Only you can decide to get it, however. I can make a recommendation. I will send you the name of a few qualified healers.”  
“That’s it? No guilt trips? No reminders of my responsibilities?”  
“Have any of those tactics worked so far?”  
“No.”  
“Then why would I believe they would work coming from me?”  
He nodded thoughtfully.  
“I will send you those names. Good day Mr. Malfoy. I wish you the best.” She shook his hand and took her leave.  
The house elf from before met her at the bottom of the stairs. For the first time she noticed a mismatched pair of socks on the little socks. She was amazed to recognize no matter how old and thread bare they were that they were ones she had knitted back at Hogwarts that Dobby had collected because the elves had stopped serving the Gryffindor tower and mentioned it “Yes miss. Dobby brought them to me. My name is Cubby. Dobby was my Uncle.”  
“Oh Cubby, I am so sorry. Dobby was a very good friend to me. I miss him very much still.”  
Cubby looked at her with big round eyes “Dobby used to talk about how kind his friends were. He loved you very much Miss.”  
Hermione’s eyes teared up “We loved him too Cubby.” They shared a smile.  
“Would you like to see the little flowers we plants in his memory Miss?”  
“Please call me Hermione, and yes, very much so.”  
Cubby took her by the hand and led her to a little side garden.  
“Master Draco lets us haves our own little gardens here. He is a very kind master. We’s all free here and is being paid.”  
Hermione was very surprised and pleased to hear this.  
Cubby took her to a small but lovely little garden. The flowers they had planted for Dobby were in reds and golds, Gryffindor colors, which caused Hermione to laugh with happiness. They sat on a small bench and talked about their favorite memories of Dobby when Hermione noticed a small boy with platinum blonde hair sitting quietly in a play yard alone. She knew this must be young Scorpius, Draco’s son. He looked so lost and alone her heart immediately went out to him. Excusing herself she went to where the young boy sat on a swing kicking his legs with no real enthusiasm and took the swing next to him. He looked up at her in surprise.  
Smiling down at him she said “Hello, you must be Scorpius, I am Healer Granger.”  
He smiled shyly at her and nodded. “Are you here to give me my exams?” He said this last part somewhat worriedly. “No, no. Why? Is it time for your exams?”  
He shrugged “Dunno. Can’t remember.”  
She laughed, “Well, no fears there I am not that kind of doctor, and can I tell you a secret?” He nodded wide eyed “I don’t much like my exams either, when I was your age I kicked my healer, I don’t recommend it though.” His eyes got even bigger “Why come? Did you get in big trouble?” she nodded “I sure did I got the time out of my life and they took my books away!” he shuddered “I sure wouldn’t want them to take my broom away except I never get to ride it much anyway…” he looked sad.  
She thought she could guess why but needed to really have a chance to talk with him. “Scorpius, would you mind showing me the gardens some more?”  
He nodded happily and took her hand “Let’s go see the ones outside of my windows, those are the best!”  
“OK let’s go!”  
“So how come you are here Healer Granger?”  
Thinking of an excuse that would not be a lie but would not frighten him she said “Your Daddy and I knew each other when we were in Hogwarts together.”  
“Oh were you his girlfriend.”  
“Merlin no!” she laughed “Why would you think that?”  
“Because you are pretty. I bet my Daddy thought you were pretty.”  
“Thank you Scorpius, you are such a gentleman, but when I was younger I was very different looking. And I am sure your Daddy thought no such thing. But you are very kind to think so.” The little boy shrugged, not quite believing her she could tell.  
Changing the subject she said “Your Daddy was a very good Quidditch player in school. He was on his house team and everything.”  
“Really?” asked Scorpius, very happy to hear this.  
“Oh yes, he probably could have played on a professional team if he had wanted to. I used to tease him about how he only got on the team because your grandfather bought him a really good broom but he could have played on any old broom and been really good.”  
“Wow” said Scorpius, clearly impressed “My Daddy is pretty cool.”  
She ruffled his hair affectionately. “I bet he could teach you to play like he did.”   
Scorpius looked sad again “No, he doesn’t play with me anymore. He doesn’t feel good.” He looked at her, hope in his eyes (oh no she thought) “Wait, are you the kind of healer who can make my Daddy feel better?”  
Looking down into his hopeful eyes she knew that there was no turning back now and kneeled down to his level. Taking both of his hands in hers she asked “What does feeling better look like to you?”  
“Like he wants to play with me again. Like he wants to fly our brooms.”  
“OK, one step at a time. How about we start with taking our meals together?”  
“For real?”  
“For real.”  
He nodded happily. “When can we?”  
“Well, I have to make certain all of my other patients have other healers so that they feel better too. But I promise I will be back soon.”  
“OK, real soon?”  
“Real soon”  
As Cubby led her to the house to let the Malfoy’s know of her decision she saw a curtain upstairs close. She mumbled “But first I have to make a deal with the devil. Or in this case, two.”


	3. Chapter 3

Getting her patients transferred to other doctors and healers was not a terribly difficult task. It took coordination, but as she kept meticulous records and was always prepared for any eventuality already knew which patient he would pair with which doctor or healer should she become ill or otherwise unable to fulfill her obligation, it was merely a matter of scheduling.  
The conversation before leaving the Malfoy home had been enough to try the patience of Helga Hufflepuff herself, and Hermione was no Hufflepuff.  
Cubby had taken her back to the drawing room where the Malfoys were waiting for her.  
“Are you ready to give us your professional evaluation Healer Granger?” asked Narcissa.  
“No, I am afraid I cannot do that.”  
“And exactly why not?” sneered Lucius “What are we paying you for then?”  
“First of all, you have not paid me anything yet. In addition, I have a duty to my patient to maintain his confidentiality.” She held up a hand as the patent Malfoy sneer reappeared on Lucius Malfoy’s face “Regardless of who pays the bill. And finally I am not doing this for Draco. And I sure as HELL am not doing this for you. In case I had not made it perfectly clear before let me be crystal clear now. I do not like you. I am doing this for Scorpius. He deserves a father who can fly a broom with him. Toss a ball around. Catch bowtruckles, or whatever other disgusting things fathers and sons do. And for that to happen he needs the best care. And whether I like it or not that happens to be me.”  
Lucius merely raised an eyebrow “Shall we discuss terms then?”  
“Fine, my terms. Do not question my methods until you have been in education and trained as long as I have. Second this tutor story? No one is going to believe that. At best they will guess the truth. At worse they will believe I have been spelled into coming here and Harry and my ex husband are going to come in here wands drawn and interrupt my work. Or worse than that they are going to think I have been spelled into having a bloody affair with someone in this house come in here with wands drawn and disturb my work.”  
“I assume you have a solution” Lucius asked with perhaps the first genuine smile she had ever seen on him. It was somehow more disconcerting than any other look she had ever seen.  
“I do. I am going to tell my friends and family that with Ron and my children on vacation in Romania I have decided to vacation myself. You will have to put up with my presence for the next several months. If Draco still needs me after that time, we will make other arrangements. As to my fee, these are my standard fees. I am certain you will find them agreeable. Should we decide that medications will be advantageous you will of course will be responsible for those as well.”  
Narcissa and Lucius looked at one another, clearly not quite knowing how to take being handed terms instead of handing them out but being unable to find fault in her demeanor, her reasoning and her fees were almost insultingly low for what they had been prepared to offer her.  
Narcissa nodded. “We will have the guest suite prepared for you, is there anything specific you need?”  
Hermione shook her head no and tapped her bag “I have come prepared with all that I will require. My patients will be assigned to other healers and doctors. After that I will be ready to begin at once to settle in.”  
Narcissa nodded and called Cubby to lead her off.  
Once she was gone Lucius turned to her “Arrogant witch, isn’t she?”  
Narcissa nodded, “Perhaps, but you heard Draco shouting at her, and he has barely spoken to us in months and has not shown interest enough in anything to shout. She is already helping him.”  
“Yes, I did hear, bur remember Cissa, they do have quite an unpleasant past together, not to mention her own particular past with me. The particular details of my conditions and those of any other former Death Eaters with the exception of Draco himself that were spared Azkaban were kept strictly confidential.”  
“And yet none of that kept her from coming here. And Camilia Parkinson said she worked wonders with Pansy and the two of them had an equally rocky relationship in school.”  
Lucius wisely, as experienced husband, kept his thoughts about equality in those relationships to himself. Boys and girls tended to have far rockier relationships. “Perhaps, and she did seem interested in assisting Scorpius, we would do better to focus on that.”  
Hermione returned three days later after settling her personal and professional affairs.  
Up in her room Hermione was having quite a different conversation with herself than the one the Malfoy’s had about her suitability in this case. How was she going to convince a man who did not want help to accept it when he had not even been convinced to leave his room? As confident as she had sounded to others her usual patents had at least reached that point. She told aspiring healers and interns that confidence is key, but this would clearly require different tactics. But she thought of little Scorpius and his need to have a father who just wanted to be with him after losing his mother and knew failure was not an option. She knew Draco was not willingly harming his son; depression was not something the patient chose to suffer from. They could not decide to wake up one day and just be happy. Potions and medications could only help so much. Then she thought about Scorpius. The family unit also needed counseling. And in this case Scorpius may be her way in to helping Draco as well. It was a gamble, and only if it did not cause undue stress or harm to either one… but it could work.  
With the beginnings of a treatment plan in mind she turned to the task of setting up her room and home office.  
Hermione was setting up her belongings in her room when a ball of energy rushed in to the room and flung itself at her legs.  
“You came back! You said you would come back soon, but then you didn’t, so I thought you wouldn’t, but then you did!” Scorpius said all of this without taking a breath or even a pause between his words.  
She was surprised “Oh Scorpius, I am so sorry, when I said soon, I meant in a few days, I should have told you that. I didn’t mean to make you worry. That was unfair of me. In the future if I mean a few days I will say that, OK?”  
“OK! Deal! What are we going to do today?” he looked up at her hopefully.  
Hermione realized how lonely he must be. “Well… I need to sort out my room. Do you know your letters and colors really well?”  
He nodded proudly and began to show off by pointing out all of the colors and letters around the room.  
“Perfect. How would you like to help me by sorting my books onto that shelf right there? My Rose helps me with that but she is on vacation and cannot help me right now.”  
“Who is ‘your Rose’?”  
“My daughter, want to see a picture?” Scorpius nodded enthusiastically.  
Picking up a framed picture that she had placed a recent picture of Rose and Hugo in she handed it to Scorpius. They were squealing in delight at a dragon roaring. Charlie was there pretending he was going to toss Hugo in.  
Scorpius was transfixed and it did not take her long to figure out why. “Rose is pretty like you, but her hair looks like fire.” She couldn’t help notice he seemed transfixed by her image. “How sweet” she thought “a crush”.   
“That is her with her brother Hugo and their Uncle Charlie. They are visiting Charlie in Romania where he works with dragons.”  
“That is cool, I want to see one! Can you take me?”  
“mmmmm… that is probably better for your father, but Charlie would be happy to have you.”  
“When you make Daddy better?”  
She carefully placed the picture on her nightstand and handed Scorpius a small stack of books.   
“Not me Scorpius, us. We are going to make your Daddy better.”  
He looked at her skeptically “I’m going to be a healer?”  
“Oh no, you have a much more important job. You are going to be the son.”  
“I can do that! I am the son!”  
“Wow, then that works out pretty good since you won’t need any special training!”  
The next morning Cubby came to get her. “Mistress asked me to tell you breakfast will be served in half an hour Miss Hermione.”  
“I will not be taking my breakfast in the dining room Cubby, and neither will Scorpius. Will you please send him to me and bring our meal there?”  
Cubby looked uncomfortable “Mistress was very specific Miss Hermione, and young Master Scorpius….”  
“All you have to do is tell them it was part of our terms and this is necessary to Master Draco’s treatment. If she is still insistent I will come straight down and tell her myself.”  
Cubby looked satisfied at this.  
Hermione gathered up some paper work and writing utensils and walked to Draco’s wing where she was not at all surprised to find Scorpius waiting for her with a conspiratorial look on his face.  
“Are we making Daddy better today?”  
“No, not today lovebug. Today we are having breakfast and attending to your studies. But soon I promise.”  
“How soon? Three days?” He clearly remembered exactly how long it took her to return.  
“This kind of healing does not have a time frame, but I promise not to leave until your Daddy starts to feel better, is that a deal?”  
“Deal.”  
Draco was quite content to be left alone in his dark room minding his own business. The laughter coming from the next room was disturbing his quiet contemplation and he was prepared for and determined to find the cause and put an end to it.  
What he was not prepared for was the sight of Hermione Granger and his son sitting at his table laughing while Hermione told him some story about their childhood.  
Scorpius had his hand over his mouth trying unsuccessfully to hold back giggles while Hermione had her hand in the air bouncing up and down enthusiastically. “I could not wait to answer every single question. I was a horribly insufferable know it all. I wouldn’t recommend it.” They both laughed again. If she had looked like that bouncing up and down he thought, staring at her tight sweater, it probably would not have been nearly as insufferable as he remembered.   
Part of him wanted to smile, but instead he growled “What exactly are you doing in my rooms Healer Granger?”  
Unfazed she replied “Having breakfast with your son, Mr. Malfoy. We have plenty, would you care to join us?”  
He looked down at the unrepentant pair, his son’s eyes hopeful and not quite knowing why he didn’t toss the cheerful pair out on their cheerful behinds he sat down and allowed her to pour him a mug of tea and took some toast.   
Scorpius turned to his father “Is it true that you were the best Quidditch player at Hogwarts Daddy?”   
Draco snorted “That what Granger has been telling you?”  
“I would not say he was the best, Scorpius. My good friend was the best.”  
“Oh yes, you know she is friends with Harry Potter.”  
“Really?” Asked Scorpius, somewhat dubiously.  
“Really, but that is not who I meant. My friend Ginny Weasley was the best.” She said smirking at Draco.  
“Ginny Weasley from the Hollyhead Harpies? Wow that is so cool!” Now he was truly impressed.  
“You bet, she is Rose and Hugo’s Auntee and she used to be my sister.”  
“Used to be?” asked Scorpius, confused. Draco looked at her penetratingly.  
“That is a story for another day. Today you have lessons.”  
Scorpius groaned “Do I have to?”  
“Yes you have to. But don’t worry. I brought all that we need with me. She cleared the table with a wave of her wand.”  
“Hey” said Draco, “I was eating that!”  
“Then at lunch you know to show up on time.” She replied primly.  
“Is there a reason you and Scorpius are eating your meals and doing his lessons in my rooms?” he asked, somewhat annoyed?  
“Yes.” She replied simply, and did not elaborate. She set up his lesson plan, pulled her hair off of her neck with the hair band she kept on her wrist and set about teaching his son basic math and reading skills.  
They were so engrossed Scorpius barely noticed when Draco went back to his room.  
At lunch Cubby brought their meal up. A simple lunch of soup and sandwiches. This time Draco managed to show on time.  
“I see you two miscreants are still here.”  
“It is our job” said Scorpius.  
“OUR job?” Draco raised an eyebrow “You are training to be a healer now?”  
Scorpius laughed “No, Healer Doctor Granger (she had explained to him about muggle doctors and decided to stop fighting the whole Healer Doctor title) is the healer, my job is being the son. Which is pretty good because since I am the son I don’t need any special training. Pretty neat huh?”  
Draco was having trouble following what his son was talking about so he just nodded.  
After lunch Hermione called Cubby who appeared at once. “Yes Miss Hermione?”  
“Will you please take Scorpius lesson plans back to my office and take Scorpius outside for fresh air and exercise?”  
Scorpius pouted “Do I have to?”  
She nodded her head firmly “Yes lovebug you do. Sitting on a swing or cooped up in your room is not healthy. Every day you must run around and play and get fresh air and sunshine. It is part of your lessons.”  
He sighed but went and kissed his father’s cheek and to her surprise and pleasure did the same to her.  
“And now if you will excuse yourself I am returning to my room” Draco looked at her pointedly.  
“I certainly will. Right after your physical exam.” She stated this in her no nonsense doctor’s voice.  
“My what?!”  
“Your physical Mr. Malfoy. In order to properly treat you I need to examine you. I will need to send blood work out.”  
“Shouldn’t you send out for a real healer for this?”  
“I am a real healer. I don’t merely deal with conditions of the mind; I also deal with conditions of the body. They go hand in hand. It may well be that at least part of your current state is physical. If that is the case, and I will not know that without a physical, there are treatments we can explore.”  
He just stared at her for awhile before finally agreeing. She transfigured his table in to an exam table and told him “Strip to your underclothes please.”  
“You want me to strip?”  
“That is how an exam is performed, yes.”  
She turned to her bag and began withdrawing syringes and vials and the other tools she would need.  
When she was ready to begin he was sitting on the exam table in a very tight pair of briefs. She was trying very hard not to notice that in spite of how much weight he had lost or how little he had taken care of himself he was still an incredibly attractive man.  
Her diagnostic wand and quill set ready she began taking his vital signs and finished with an intensive brain diagnostic scan. Had he been a muggle this would have involved radioactive materials and MRIs and PETs and been very complicated, but advancements in wizarding healing diagnostics allowed this to be done very quickly.  
She finished with a blood sample that she took from his left arm without thinking. She was amazed to find no Dark Mark present. Even though she said nothing he must have read the surprise on her face.  
“You will find that there is nothing wrong with me but weakness Granger. Too weak to even been granted the Dark Mark.” He sneered.  
She finished her job with a sigh. “Please get dressed and then let’s talk.”  
She returned to the sitting room after transfiguring the table back in to an ordinary table and waited for him to join her.  
After he sat across from her she looked him in the eye “I apologize for my surprise. It was unprofessional and it will not happen again.”  
Her sincerity surprised him enough to nod.  
“Regardless of what my tests show you are not weak. No one chooses to face depression. No one chooses Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. And none of my patients are weak. They are some of the strongest men women and children I have ever treated,”  
He interrupted her “You treat children?”  
“I have found our situation is not as unique as I would have hoped, there will always be adults willing to abuse children for their own ends. They are not weak, they are not victims, they are survivors. Sometimes to survive they need help. That is where I come in. I give people tools to survive.” She could see he wanted to believe her. “All I am asking from you is a chance to prove you are not the weak man you believe yourself to be.”  
“And why should I want to do that?”  
“Because you are worth it.” With that she stood up and gathered her things. “I need to get your samples to the lab and I need time to go over your scans.” She went to the door when he suddenly spoke up behind her.  
“And if you had found the Dark Mark, Granger? Would I still have been worth it?”  
“Yes, Draco, we are not defined by our scars.”  
I know it is generally accepted that Draco took the Dark Mark. However, that has always been left ambiguous. Only in the movie does he actually display it. Not in the books. In most of my fanfics he does as well. In this one I decided to explore a scenario where Voldemort had not branded him because he had considered him weak and unworthy. And while part of Draco is very grateful that he was not branded another part also views it as more evidence of his unworthiness.


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione was comforted by what the scans showed. Draco’s scans showed the areas in his brain being affected were those that had come to be associated with both clinical depression and PTSD. Both of which were her areas of expertise and that she had the most success treating. Once the blood work came back she could begin a treatment plan that would be tailored to his specific needs. Some of which were considered controversial in the wizarding world as they were muggle medications.  
And that meant she would need to have a conversation with Draco alone tonight. She went to visit Scorpius in his rooms.  
“Hey Healer Granger!” He was clearly happy to see her. She looked around his room, it was filled with normal little boy things broken bits of toys, Quidditch posters, a glorious mess. It actually made her very happy. In a lot of ways it reminded her of Ron’s room at the Burrow when he had not been much older. Hugo was too much like her, very fastidious. “Good evening Scorpius! Are we alone in here?” She moved a stack of clothes to the top of his dresser.   
He looked around confused “Yes…”   
She peaked under a keeper’s glove “How can you tell?”   
Realizing she was teasing him he giggled. “Are we going to have dinner with my daddy now?”  
“Not tonight lovebug, Tonight you should eat with your grandmother so she doesn’t get lonely. Remember, your daddy is her little boy and she hardly ever sees him so we need to make sure she doesn’t feel too left out. We will have breakfast and our lessons there tomorrow. OK?”  
“OK. But you are staying?”  
She realized how afraid he was that she would leave him. “I promised I would stay until your daddy feels better. But I think we need a real bond. She pulled out a ring that hung from a chain around her neck. If I loan you this until it is time for me to go do you promise to take very good care of it and never ever lose it?”  
His eyes got real big “I promise”.   
“Now we have a vow and you know I will keep my word.”  
He nodded very solemnly.  
“OK, I will see you in the morning lovebug. Have fun with your grandmother tonight.”  
Outside of Draco’s door she hesitated a moment.   
Coming in unannounced with Narcissa or Scorpius was one thing, but waltzing in alone was a different matter. She decided to take a different tactic and headed up to the owlery.  
Attaching a note to Emalina’s leg she informed Draco that she had his test results and would like to discuss them with him. That she would be arriving at his door in twenty minutes to do so.  
She was surprised to find the door open and him waiting for her in the sitting room. He had also clearly just come from the shower.  
“I am sorry; I did not mean to interrupt you from the bath.”  
He brushed off her concern. “You said you had results for me?”  
“Yes, look at this.” She conjured a light box and put the scans of his brain up against it. “These are the images I took of your brain. See these lit up areas here, here and here?” he nodded. “These are the areas of the brain that we usually associate with the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and clinical depression. They are highly active in your brain. Meaning they are being triggered.”  
“And if we stop their triggering?”  
“You should start to feel more like yourself.”  
“And what if ‘myself’ is an arsehole?”  
“Take it up with your father?” She was surprised to hear a slight chuckle from him.  
“I assume you have some idea how to stop their triggering?”  
“I do, some of it may sound controversial to you. It is normal in the muggle world but…”  
“But wizards don’t use it.”  
“Correct. There are medications, not potions, and I am afraid I have no experience in potion making so I cannot create an equivalent, these medications may give you relief in as soon as just a couple of weeks. Combine that with therapy and… well, it is not a miracle cure, nothing is, but…”  
“Bottom line it for me Granger.”  
“Part of what is occurring to you right now is physical. It is a transformation in how your brain functions due to trauma you suffered as a child. Possibly due to a fall during Quidditch possibly …something else… in muh … some cases, it was brought on in the second wizarding war by the cruciatus curse.” He knew she had been about to say in her case. He wondered if this was why she had gone in to this kind of healing. Having been on the receiving end of that curse more than once it made sense.  
“And the therapy?”  
“You need to talk about what happened. Then and now. If you are uncomfortable talking to me, I understand. I still have a list of highly qualified therapists who…”  
“No, I am perfectly comfortable with you as a healer.” She nodded.  
“When do we get started?”  
“As soon as your blood work comes back I will order the medications you need and we will set up a regular session to get to work.”  
He nodded, she stood up to leave he looked startled “Oh I thought you would be staying for dinner?”  
She smiled; this was progress “I would be happy to stay for dinner.”  
Over dinner they talked about their lives since the war. How much she had studied to become both a doctor and a Healer, faking her Uni records so she could go straight in to a doctoral program. “Naughty, naughty Granger. Breaking the rules. Who knew you had it in you?”  
She laughed “I tried to get Umbridge killed by a giant and would have succeeded if centaurs had not interfered, I broke in to Gringotts and rode out on the back of a dragon, my willingness to break the rules for the greater good is well established.”  
“Getting a woman killed by a giant is for the greater good?”  
“THAT woman? Oh yes. She was vile.”  
He looked down. “You said Ginny Weasley ‘used to be’ your sister. Did something happen between you and Weasel?”  
“I am surprised you did not read about it in the papers. It was quite the scandal when two thirds of The Golden Trio, I always hated that title by the way, divorced.”  
“I never read those papers, they never did anyone any favors. What happened, if that isn’t too personal.”  
She shrugged “It is but I don’t mind really. Ron and I loved each other very much. We have two children together. One, Rose, is the same age as Scorpius. But we were never in love. One day we just realized our marriage was starting to feel like incest. We are still best friends. We did not break up in anger. He will always be an important part of my life. Just not as my husband.”  
“If you get married again do you think that is something your new husband is going to be OK with?” he was looking deep into her eyes when he asked this.  
She wasn’t sure why his look or his question was so unsettling to her. “I suppose at this stage of my life anyone I would likely to enter in to a relationship with would probably have their own family that they would bring to the table. I would hope they would be as accepting of mine as they would want me to be accepting of theirs.” Somehow it felt oddly as if they were setting some sort of ground rules. Which was ridiculous They had a doctor patient relationship and barely that.  
Over the next two days while waiting for the blood work to return the three, she and Draco and Scorpius fell into a routine. Breakfast, lessons and lunch with Draco, exercise time for Scorpius. Hermione worked until dinner, which she then shared with Draco. Scorpius ate with his grandmother. Hermione barely acknowledged she shared a roof with Lucius Malfoy and never mentioned the fact that he was in the home. Twice a week she and Draco met for therapy sessions. She listened to what his experiences were like as a youth, but she was far more concerned with how they were still impactful on him now.  
On the third day Emalina delivered Draco’s blood work results. Other than some vitamin deficiencies everything looked normal. She filled out prescriptions and sent them via Emalina to her contact who would make sure they were filled in the muggle world and returned to her that same day, including vitamins that would not interact negatively with the medications she had ordered.  
That night with prescriptions in hand she went to Draco’s room. She was surprised to find the door closed.  
She knocked and called “Draco?” but got no response. After a few minutes she called Cubby.  
“Yes Miss Hermione?”  
“Cubby I am worried about Draco I need you to let me into the room.”  
Cubby looked uncomfortable “I am not allowed to do that Miss… Master says to Cubby when he does not wish to be disturbed Cubby lets no one in the room. I am sorry Miss.”  
“But he IS in there?”  
“Yes Miss Hermione.”  
“Is he a danger to himself Cubby?”  
Cubby just looked down.  
“Did he order you to stop me from going in?”  
“No Miss Hermione.”  
“Please stand aside Cubby”  
Hermione had learned far stronger unlocking spells than Alohomora and when that failed she used them all ready to blast the door down until she found one that worked.  
She found Draco in his room a vial at his hand and bloody froth at his mouth. He was having convulsions. She screamed for Cubby to bring the black doctor’s bag from her room. When Cubby returned with it not knowing what Draco had taken she forced a bezoar down his throat, curled up behind him, wrapped her arms around him and waited. Soon his convulsions stopped. She used her wand to fill the bowl next to his table with warm water and bathed his face.  
He stopped her after a bit with his hand on her wrist. “Hermione?” he asked weakly. It was the first time he had used her given name “I’m here. I’ve got you.”  
He took a shuddering breath and still held lightly to her wrist. Her other arm was wrapped tightly around his shoulders. His head cradled back against her chest. “I told you. I’m weak.”  
“You are not weak” she said soothingly “You are ill. There is a difference. But I am here now, and I’m not going away.”  
They stayed like that for a long time until finally he asked for water.  
“I need to get up to get you that and we need to talk. I brought you some things to help. Do you think you can meet me in the sitting room or would you rather stay here?”  
“Here, please.”  
She nodded. “OK, but sit in that chair.” He got up and went to the chair. She brought him water and set about righting his room. The vial disappeared after she ascertained it would not interfere with the medication she wanted him to take. Then she flipped his mattress, changed his sheets and opened a window for fresh air. When she was done she went to his wardrobe pulled out fresh pajamas set them in his bathroom brought in all he would need to take a shower and just pointed. He followed her silent command.   
While he was gone she asked Cubby to bring in a light meal and tea. The little elf was only too happy to comply. When Draco emerged from the shower the little table was all set up with a meal and tea was poured.  
Hermione had even lighted candles to take the last of any odors from the room and cleaned it thoroughly. He looked around. “You are not my servant Granger.”  
“No, but I am your doctor and this is a much healthier environment.”  
She had made one other change but did not think he was ready to hear that yet.  
After their meal she brought in a small white bag. From within she pulled out several small brown plastic bottles. Placing each one in front of him she described their effects their side effects and how soon they could hope to see a change.  
“So these will just fix me?”  
“There is more to it than that. We need to continue therapy, as I said before. I also want you walking in fresh air, sunshine and getting exercise every day. Around the grounds is enough for now. We will take it slowly at first.”  
“I am not an invalid Granger.”  
“This would go much faster if you stopped fighting me at every turn. How many years did YOU study to be a healer? A doctor? What do you know about the effects of inactivity on muscles?”  
He held up his hands in supplication “Alright, alright, we do it your way. Anything else?”  
“Yes, you have two bedrooms in here, for the time being I am sleeping in one of them.”  
“I beg your pardon?”  
“Draco, you are not weak, you are however ill. Since I assume like any rational wizard who is ill would, you will refuse to be seen at a hospital….”  
He looked at her in horror.  
“…then I, as your healer have no choice but to stay here with you.”  
“And what of your reputation?”  
“My reputation among this family can handle the blow I am certain. I would worry more about the baboon’s reputation.”  
He raised his eyebrow questioningly. “Never mind. Cubby has already brought my things. Now, I have work to do. If you need me call.”


	5. Chapter 5

Hermione had wavered between keeping Scorpius out the next day and sticking to routine, deciding at this stage routine was more important and that she could remove the child before any damage was done if it turned out to be too soon, they all met for breakfast.  
Draco was much more subdued than normal. Whether this was from his medication or last night’s events or a combination of the two was difficult to say.  
Over the next couple of days he grew better and better. The drowsy effects of the medication slowly wore off and left him in a much better frame of mind. Their first therapy session had gone much better. He was able to open up more. As horrid as his attempt on his life had been, it seemed to have been a turning point for them.  
They still had not come to a point where he was comfortable talking about his ex-wife, but she knew they would get there. She was not certain why he was at ease discussing with her the events of the wizarding war, even his worst complicit participation in them with her, but the subject of his wife was still a closed topic.  
Perhaps it was because the war was something that was so far in the past. Perhaps it was because they had gone through it together. Perhaps because he was still in love with his ex-wife and could not bring himself to speak of it. She did not want to examine too deeply why this last possibility caused a painful tightening in her throat.  
It should have come as no surprise to her that it was Scorpius who provided an opening for them to discuss Astoria and the events leading to her abandonment of her family. The assistance in Draco’s treatment and reentry into his family is why she brought him in every morning after all.  
Scorpius was a bright spot for both of them. He was a very bright child who enjoyed learning and very quickly with regular tutoring outstripped the basic lesson books she had brought with her. He had already learned the basic lessons before but his lessons had been so sporadic that having a set routine had helped him to reaffirm what he already knew. She sent Emalina to Flourish and Blotts for more books and on a whim asked for a junior potion set to be delivered as well. She remembered how well Draco had done in potions and thought this might be a good way for father and son to bond.  
As it turned out she was quite right. Scorpius was thrilled with the set and Draco seemed touched that she had thought of it. They spent the next several days, father and son stirring together little potions and Draco was beginning to teach him the basics of potion theory. They brewed up candy potions and perfumes to give as gifts to Hermione and Narcissa. Scorpius was quite curious about why women liked to wear perfumes. Hermione stuck her nose in a medical book, refusing to touch this subject with a wand twice the length of hers.  
Draco cleared his throat and tried his best to explain “Well, it makes them smell nice and it makes men notice them more.”  
“Is that why we are brewing these for Grandma and Healer Granger so they smell nice and men notice them?”  
Hermione held the book up higher so Draco could not see her giggling. “Ummm…”  
“Because I don’t think Grandpa wants men to notice Grandma. He gets real mad when men do things for her. Once he told her she needed to wear a sack cloth in public. What’s a sackcloth Daddy?”  
Lucius Malfoy was a very jealous man where his wife was concerned. Draco knew this but did not know Scorpius had noticed. “It is an unattractive piece of clothing son, and your grandmother is not going to agree to wear it.” If Granger thought she was fooling anyone hiding behind that book she was very much mistaken. This whole uncomfortable conversation was her fault. She brought the bloody toy into his life to torment him.  
“Do you want to smell nice, Healer Granger?”  
Hermione looked up very innocently, as though she had not been following this entire conversation vastly amused. “Do I want to smell nice? I suppose so. I don’t want to smell bad. No one wants to smell bad.”  
“Do you want to smell nice so a man will notice you?” The little imp was certainly persistent.  
“I… get a man to notice me? Why do you want to know lovebug?” Good thought Draco, let her squirm for a bit!  
“Well, Daddy says Harry Potter is your friend, do you want him to notice you?” Draco’s grip tightened on the arm of his chair. There had always been rumors of her and Potter. And why did it even matter? The witch could get any man she wanted to notice her. It wasn’t his business.  
“Oh, goodness, the ideas you come up with young man! No I do not want Harry to ‘notice’ me. He is married to my good friend Ginny Weasley and they have three adorable children.” She was not sure why she blurted all of this out. Was she trying to reassure Scorpius or his father? She did notice Draco’s hands relaxed on his chair. When had she noticed they had become tense? It was not unusual though, he was her patient, and she was supposed to be cued in on any changes that showed he was in distress. Merlin, was she babbling in her own mind?  
Scorpius was like a kneazel with a mouse “Do you want my Daddy to notice you?”  
Hermione had just taken a calming sip of her tea and nearly choked on it. “Scorpius, your Daddy is my patient. I do not wear perfume so he will notice me.” Did anyone notice she was blushing? Why in Merlin’s name couldn’t she stop blushing?  
Draco noticed she was blushing and tried to analyze it. Clearly she was embarrassed. Because Scorpius assumed she wanted him to notice her? Or was it something else?  
“Mummy used to wear perfume.” Scorpius said in an offhand remark. Both Draco and Hermione froze.  
“Did she, lovebug?” Hermione knew she needed to tread very carefully here and not press.  
“mmhmmm. Maybe she was trying to get Daddy to notice her. Or maybe Uncle Theo.”  
Hermione noticed Draco tense up at the mention of “Uncle Theo”.  
“Oh?” asked Hermione quietly.  
“Mommy was kissing Uncle Theo the way Mummies kiss Daddies. Maybe it was the perfume. Do you think?” His big innocent eyes turned to hers there was no way Hermione could say “No dearest, your Mummy was just a cheating slut.” Under the circumstances it seemed wildly inappropriate.   
“That is certainly an interesting theory Scorpius. But now it is time for your exercise with Cubby. Let’s put up your potion ingredients and get ready for her.” She sensed Draco needed a few minutes to pull himself together.  
After Scorpius left Draco looked down at his hands “I had no idea he had witnessed that. I wanted to keep that from him.”  
“I can understand wanting to protect him. It is only natural.”   
“And again I failed.” He sounded less dejected than he had previously, but she knew this was the medication.  
She nodded “Yes you did.” He looked up at her in surprise “Whenever you expect perfection from yourself you are going to fail. If you think my role as a healer or doctor is to crank out perfect people who never make mistakes you are going to be disappointed in me and the entire medical profession.”  
“I don’t expect you to make me perfect. I just want…” he stopped.  
“What Draco” she asked quietly “What is it that you want from this? From yourself? From life?”  
“I want to know why I have never been good enough for anyone. Not Harry Potter in first year when I tried to be his friend, not my father, not the Dark Lord, not my wife. Not anyone.”  
She sighed “You approached Harry like a giant prat Draco. And I know, Ron Weasley insulted your name. He is a tactless twit. You did not make it better and you kept making it worse. Your father is an enormous arse with high expectations because he is creating an unrealistic legacy. Your wife we will talk about. No more ducking it.” He nodded.  
“But first we are going to talk about who you ARE good enough for. Your mother came to my office in muggle London under an assumed name, not because she was ashamed to be in muggle London but because she was afraid I would not see her if I knew who she was. Your son adores you to a degree it is almost sickening. If my children looked at me like that I would assume they were looking to convince me to buy them a new toy or asking for a loan. You are certainly good enough for them. And those are just the two I know about.”  
He looked at her surprised to hear her defending his likeability.   
“Tomorrow we are getting out of this room. It is stifling and it is time to step up your treatment to the next level.”  
He nodded “Yes healer.” She rolled her eyes.   
“For now I have work to do. I will see you at dinner.”  
When her hand reached her bedroom door he called out softly not quite knowing why “And you Granger? Am I good enough for you?”  
She sighed “I am here living under the same roof as your father aren’t I, Malfoy?” He chuckled as she closed her door.


	6. Chapter 6

“Should I call Cubby for my exercise” asked Scorpius after their breakfast and lessons.  
“Not this morning, lovebug, your father and I will be joining you in the gardens.” Hermione had to smile at the pure joy on Scorpius’ face.  
“Will we be flying?” She laughed as he actually bounced up and down.  
“YOU may fly we will be keeping our feet firmly on the ground Scorpius Malfoy!” She tried to keep the fear from her voice but knew she had failed when the boy grinned at her.  
“Only ‘cause you’re scared you will turn green and puke like last time.” He grinned with ghoulish glee at the thought.  
“I knew I would regret telling you that story. Remind me never to try and bond with a maniacal 7 year old again. I told you I was sick with the flu when I threw up on the broom.”  
“Are you sick today?” Now he was positively rubbing his hands.  
She looked to Draco for help but he was apparently still holding grudges for the perfume discussion and in no mood to curtail his son’s glee at her discomfort. “You are the worst patient ever” she said glaring at him.  
“Slytherin” he said, pointing at himself.  
She rolled her eyes “Let’s go get some exercise. Some feet firmly on the ground exercise.”  
Father and son both laughed. She supposed she should count it as a good bonding moment.  
After much badgering Scorpius talked them in to letting him pull out his broom so he could practice flying around the gardens. Draco charmed a small nut to act as his snitch. He was actually pretty good at spotting it among the leaves and bushes.  
“He’s good” commented Hermione.  
“As good as the famous Ginny Weaskey?” teased Draco.  
“Better probably, considering she was a chaser not a seeker.”  
“She played seeker for awhile”  
“Yeah, after you got Harry kicked off the team, I never thanked you for that did I?”  
“THANKED me?”  
“Yes, thanked you, it was hard enough helping him and Ron with homework outside of Quidditch season, during the season I did it all for them I am surprised either passed O.W.L.s let alone N.E.W.T.s”  
He shook his head and laughed, “It is hard to believe with your boyfriend and your best friend playing Quidditch you hated the game.”  
“Hate is a strong word, but I never saw the point of disturbing my studying for it. Or theirs either.”  
“Only you, Granger, could find books and studying better than Quidditch.” They both laughed at this.  
“Besides, Ron was NOT my boyfriend. I really only dated one boy during school and that was mostly long distance.”  
“Ah yes, Viktor Krum. That makes it worse you know. Your boyfriend wasn’t on some house team, he was an international Quidditch star.”  
“Yes, but that is why he liked me. I didn’t see him that way. I didn’t chase him around batting my eyes at him because he was famous. I don’t really care about things like fame and money and all of that.”  
He elbowed her “Purely physical then?”  
She laughed “Well, that helped. But he was actually very intelligent, and he had manners and I don’t know, he had been raised to be a gentleman. The boys I knew were not like that. Or if they were they didn’t think I was worth their time.”  
Draco looked at her a long time. “Believe me Granger, it was their loss.” Something in the way he said that made her heart flutter.  
“In the end, the distance became a problem and we decided that we should just be friends. He even came to my wedding. I still get World Cup tickets He owns the Bulgarian team the Vratsa Vultures now and coaches the Bulgarian National Team.”  
“I knew that, I am rather surprised you do.”   
“It is rather hard for me not to when he tells me about it regularly. I even know their standing, even if I don’t half understand it.” He looked at her as if she had just committed blasphemy. “Oh don’t look so shocked. You know I don’t go in for that.”  
“Still… to be so close to all of the insider scoop and to have zero interest it is such a waste.”  
“Well, perhaps one day Scorpius would like to meet the teams. When you are ready to take him of course. I have standing box office tickets for both teams, I never use them and I know Viktor would be happy to have us as his guests.” She tried to ignore the intense look Draco gave her when she made this offer.  
“That is a very generous offer I am certain he would appreciate the chance to meet some of his Quidditch heroes.”  
“Really, you would be doing me a favor, it would help make me seem like a better friend if I stopped letting my tickets go to waste.”  
At that moment Scorpius came flying back and tossed himself at the ground at their feet, wore out but very happy. He clutched the tiny nut proudly in his fist. “I will be the best seeker ever!”  
“How could you not be with me as your father?” grinned Draco  
“And will he be as modest?” teased Hermione.  
“I can be modest when the occasion calls for it”  
“And has the occasion ever called for it?”  
He considered this for some time “I will have to get back to you on that.”  
All three of them laughed as they made their way back to the house.  
Dinner that night was very relaxed. Draco and Hermione shared stories of Hogwarts and their youth that were not tinged with darkness or drama. Just normal childhood drama and high jinx.   
“I can’t be;ieve that was YOU. Everyone blamed Fred and George for created that swamp on the third floor! You are terrible! It took weeks to clean that up! Poor Professor Trewlaney.”   
“Oh don’t pretend you cared at all about her class. The scandal when Hermione Granger told off a professor and walked out of a class made its way even down to the dungeons of Slythern. It was the one and only time you impressed us.”  
“Well, she was a bit full of it. Telling students in every class how something dreadful was going to happen indeed! But I can’t believe I only managed to impress you once! You lot are tough!”  
“Well, there was once other time…” he looked a little embarrassed.  
“Oh? When I punched you? Because I must admit that felt pretty good.”  
“As if I told anyone about that! No, but it was about the same time.. When that hippogriff attacked me and everyone else stood around the only one who took charge, including the rudy professor, was you. Your voice suddenly shouted out ‘He needs to get to the hospital wing now’ and suddenly everyone obeyed. It was like you were born to rule.”  
“Oh Draco, it was just a scratch, it wasn’t like I saved your life.”  
His eyes grew wide “Scratch? Hermione, his beak cut through my tendon. I could have lost use of that arm.” Her eyes grew wide as he rolled up his sleeve to show her the scar. She ran her fingers lightly over it.  
“Oh… I had no idea it was so serious… no wonder your father was furious. I thought you were both just being overly dramatic. I…” She looked up and found him staring down at her and realized she still had her hand on his bare arm.   
His eyes grew dark and without quite knowing how it happened she found herself engulfed in his arms his lips on hers. When he gently coaxed her ips open and swept his tongue inside to mate with hers she moaned slightly and clung to his arms. It wasn’t until he started gently laying her back on the couch that she found the strength to pull away with a whimper.  
“No, Draco, I can’t” she stood up panting slightly. “I am so sorry; I should not have done that. It is an abuse of my position as your healer. I… I need to go.” She tried to ignore the stunned look on his face. She ignored him when he called her name.   
The next morning, before Scorpius arrived, he found her waiting for him in a straight back chair.  
“I apologize for my inappropriate behavior. I believe it would be in your best interest for me to recommend a new healer. I crossed a professional line and…”  
“Damned it Granger, are you going to let me speak at some point?”  
She looked up at him from her puffy eyes he could tell she had been crying and it tore at him. “Are you saying you want to drop me as a patient?”  
“I want you to get better. That is not going to happen if I lose my objectivity. It is not going to happen if I take advantage of you when you are in a weakened state. It is not OK, it is unfair to you and it is grossly unprofessional of me.”  
He was startled and oddly touched, he was not sure he had ever had someone worry about taking advantage of him before. “While I appreciate what you are trying to do Hermione, I am an adult, fully capable of making my own decisions and…”  
“Let’s look at this objectively. It is not unusual for a patient to develop romantic feelings for a healer. It is very normal in fact. It is the responsibility of the healer not to take advantage of that. I failed to protect you. If you look at this objectively you will realize you would not be attracted to me under other circumstances.”  
“You don’t know that.”  
“OK fair enough,” she conceded “but these are not other circumstances, and you would be better served by another healer.”  
“I refuse to see another healer. It is you or no one.”  
“Is that your final word on the subject?”  
“You’re damned right it is.”  
“Fine, but this can never happen again, or I must leave for your sake.”  
“I can control myself if you can Healer Granger.”  
And for the next three weeks they maintained a perfectly professional relationship. Draco got better in stages. The medication and therapy sessions did their job and Draco even began flying with Scorpius again much to the child’s delight. They had even gone downstairs and had dinner with his parents once.


	7. Chapter 7

“I think it is time we took this show on the road.” Hermione announced one night over dinner.  
Draco was rather surprised “What did you have in mind?”  
“Bulgaria is in the play offs, if they win this game they will be in the World Cup. Viktor sent me a personal invitation to come and watch the game and I think it would be a good step in your recovery to go. As well as a nice treat for Scorpius. You are ready for this.”  
He looked nervous about the prospect. “I … don’t know about that.”  
“I know it is not easy, but I will be there every step of the way and we can start small. The game is in two weeks. A shopping trip, just me and you to test the waters. To a muggle place so you won’t run into anyone you know. If that goes well a longer trip, still in muggle places. Then to Diagon Alley. I everything is still going well, we go to the game.” She waited to see his reaction. This was a turning point. He had to learn that it was OK to start living again.  
“OK. When do we start?”  
She let out a breath she had not known she had been holding. “Tomorrow. I need to pick up a few things and this will be a great trial.”  
He nodded. “OK, tomorrow then.”  
The next day, dressed in muggle clothing, she refused to think about how good he looked in muggle slacks and a turtleneck, they went to a small shopping center. He did reach for her hand a few times to steady himself but all in all the trip was successful.  
The next night she took him to dinner and a movie. The movie was a great distraction. He was familiar with the concept but had never seen a 3D movie and was amazed that muggles did this without magic.  
She praised him for his success without making a huge deal about it. The big test was in a few days when they went to Diagon Alley. They had decided to go to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink take a stroll up the street and then go home. He was frustrated that she made him stick to butterbeer. She did not want him turning to alcohol as a crutch to get out of stressful situations and it did not mix well with his medications. The trip was tense for him, but not as dreadful as he had anticipated and in the end they had ended up laughing several times and by the time they got home he was much calmer.  
“Well, how do you feel our week went?” she asked him.  
Like we went on three dates and this should be the sex one, he wanted to respond, but instead said “Really good, I feel like I can go to this game next week.”  
“Great, I will let you be the one to tell Scorpius when you are certain and ready.”  
He appreciated that she let him set the pace for this. It took an additional two days for him to feel 100% confident. He told him over breakfast. The boy was overjoyed to say the least.  
“I haven’t even told you the best part yet.” Said Draco, “Healer Granger knows the members of the team and she is going to let you meet them, including Viktor Krum.”  
Scorpius’ eyes grew really round and he turned to her “Really?!”  
“Really” Hermione grinned at his enthusiasm “Viktor and I were very good friends and he wants me to come watch his team play.”  
Hermione could not understand the sudden change in the child. He went from excited to horrified and sobbing into her chest the next. “I don’t want to go to the game. I want to stay here. Please don’t go.”  
Hermione looked at Draco confused. Draco looked as confused as she was.  
Patting his back she asked him “what is wrong lovebug? Why don’t you want to go?”  
“Because then you might leave with him and I won’t see you again.” She closed her eyes and waited until he stopped sobbing. When he finally quieted down she pulled him back from her so she could look into his eyes. “Scorpius Malfoy where is my ring?” Draco looked confused, but Scorpius pulled the chain from around his neck “Do you remember the vow I made on that ring?” he sniffled and nodded. “I won’t always live here. I have my own home. But I will always be your friend. Nothing is going to change that. When I take back that ring I will give you something to replace it. I promise. Deal?”  
“But I want you to live here forever. I want to keep you.”  
“I am glad you feel that way. And you get to keep me. As a friend. But I get to keep my own home.”  
“Ok. Deal.” He agreed, but he didn’t sound happy about it.  
“OK, now go get cleaned up for your dinner.”  
Draco looked at her. “That was a wedding ring, wasn’t it?”  
“Yes.”  
His brow furrowed. He wasn’t sure how he felt about the Weasels ring hanging around his son’s neck but since it seemed to bring him comfort he decided to let it go. “I could kill Astoria for what she has done to our son. To avoid me is one thing, but to hurt Scorpius.”  
“Has she shown no interest at all?”  
“None. She has made no contact.”  
“I am so sorry.” She reached out and took his hand.  
The day of the game was very exciting for father and son. Scorpius seemed to have gotten over his fears that she would abandon him. When they arrived Viktor was on hand to greet them. “Hermionee! Eet haf been too long! And who haf you brought wif you?” She introduced them around. Scorpius was shy at first but got over it quickly when Viktor got down at his level and discussed Quidditch with him like two old friends. Scorpius told him all about catching the spelled nut, Viktor pulled a practice snitch from his pocket. “Here my friend, use thees, ees much better! You must come back to locker room after game and meet team. They will be glad to haf future player to show off for!” he kissed Hermione on the cheek shook Draco and Scorpius’ hands and bounded off.  
“Wow” said Scorpius “He is so cool!"  
“Maybe I have to worry about You running off with him” laughed Hermione, Scorpius grinned.  
“Hermione! Viktor said he had a surprise for me in his box! I never in a million years expected you … or … Draco Malfoy…?”  
Hermione spun around coming face to face with Ginny Potter.  
“When you said you were going on vacation I thought you were going alone.” She said with a cheeky grin “But if I had the choice to bring a hot guy I would have chosen that instead too.”  
Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose. “Ginny I…”  
“Don’t worry, I won’t say anything and I certainly won’t print it do you think I want to have Ron and Harry freak out on me for knowing? No thank you! And who is this?” She smiled down at Scorpius who was looking up at her with something like hero worship.  
“This is my son Scorpius” Draco was grinning at Hermione’s discomfort. He also did not mind being seen as her date.  
Ginny kneeled down “Hi Scorpius I’m Ginny.”  
He nodded “Ginny Weasley of the Holyhead Harpies, I have your poster!”  
She laughed “It is Ginny Potter now, but I am glad I still have fans!”  
“You are the best chaser ever and Healer Granger says you are better Quidditch player than even my dad was.”  
“Well, I don’t know, your dad was pretty good…”  
His eyes got really round “Wow!”  
The rest of the game was spent quite amicably. There was one tense moment when Scorpius explained how Hermione was making his dad feel better by sleeping in his room all Ginny said was “I’m sure she is sweetheart” causing Draco to laugh and Hermione to blush fiercely. She couldn’t explain and having only that information it certainly sounded damning.  
To get over her embarrassment Hermione had a few glasses of wine. And that certainly made everything better. Until she caught Draco looking at her with a sort of hungry look that she wish she did not know what it meant. She wish it did not make her feel tingly. This was a part of his treatment. Nothing else. Wasn’t it? It didn’t help when Ginny whispered that she gets to be maid of honor. It really didn’t help when he pulled her against him to keep her warm when she shivered as they were watching the end of game show alone after Bulgaria won because Ginny had taken Scorpius to meet the Bulgarian team. She couldn’t tell him it was not the cold that was making her shiver.  
And her objectivity may have been stretched even thinner when they got home and she and Draco shared firewhiskey while curled up on the couch listening to Scorpius drink his hot cocoa and give a play by play recount of the game.  
She should have put an end to the night then. And if not then when Cubby came to take a sleeping Scorpius to his own bed. Certainly before She let Draco kiss her. Or she kissed him. She wasn’t certain who started that one.  
And well before She wound up with her clothes on his bedroom floor.  
And certainly before he woke her up in the middle of the night for round two. Or four depending on how you were counting.  
She should have stopped it because she knew when she woke up in the morning there was only one thing she could do.


	8. Chapter 8

When Draco woke up the next morning he rolled over to gather the witch next to him into his arms only to find his bed empty. How late was it? Was she already out there with Scorpius having breakfast. He smiled at the thought of how good she was with his son. Scorpius had bloomed under her care.   
He put on his robes and went to the sitting room. Neither Hermione nor Scorpius were waiting for him. He started to get a sinking feeling in his stomach. He went to her room and knocked. There was no answer but the door swung open. The room was empty. Had she moved back to her own suite?  
He ran to the suite she had originally stayed in. There was nothing there. No sign she had ever been there.  
Scorpius! She would never leave without saying good bye to his son! He flew to his son’s rooms.  
Scorpius was sitting on his bed looking as dejected as he was starting to feel holding a coin in his hands. He looked up at his father with the same look he had when his mother left. “She left Daddy. She said she kept her promise. That you were feeling better and it was time for her to go. She gave me this” he held up the coin “and she left.”  
Draco sat by his son on the bed and put an arm around him; Scorpius laid his head on his father’s chest. “Is she ever coming back daddy?”  
“I really don’t know son.”  
“Are we going to ask her to?”  
He looked down at his son surprised “Ask her to? She might say no, you know”  
“We could keep asking until she says yes.”  
“Just like that huh?”  
“Sure Daddy. I asked you to fly with me, and you said not now. I asked and asked, and then one day you did. Maybe we just have to keep asking until one day she does.”  
“You are pretty smart kiddo.”  
“You know why? Cause she loves us. Cause she calls me lovebug so I know she loves me, and she looks at you like grandma looks at grandpa. And you love her, right?”  
“She does? And how is that?  
“You know, like sometimes she wants to hit you and sometimes she wants to hug you. Like that.”  
Draco laughed.   
“And you love her right?” he wasn’t going to let this go. Did he love her? He thought about it for a moment. Holy hell, he DID love the witch, when had that happened? He hadn’t even thought about her in years. Maybe when she told him it was because he was worth it? Did it even matter? All he knew was he was going to go get his witch.  
“Yes, I love her, and yes I am going to ask her to come back and I am going to keep asking until she agrees to it.” Scorpius looked at him like he was the hero of the story. It felt good to be the hero for a change.  
He started out by asking his mother where her muggle office was. He could find her Ministry office easily enough.   
The Ministry official had not heard from her and was not inclined to give him any further information other than to recommend a healer he could see until healer Granger returned. He snarled at the man who sniffed at him.  
Officious little prick.  
Her muggle nurse was somewhat more sympathetic. The older woman was more easily charmed by his looks and manners. She didn’t have any more information than the Ministry prick had though. She had patted his hand and said if her truly were a close personal friend perhaps he should try her other close personal friends rather than her office…  
OF COURSE!! How could he be so foolish! Well, he knew how. Not bloody likely the Potters were just going to hand her over to him. But it was a start. What could it hurt? Beyond his pride. Fuck his pride.  
Finding the Potter house was pretty easy and scarhead POTTER Potter, no need to start this wrong, answered, absolutely flummoxed to find Draco Malfoy on his doorstep.  
“err.. Malfoy to what do I owe the plea… no, wait… what the fuck do you want… it is too early to play diplomat.”  
“Where is she Potter?”  
“Where is who?”  
“Hermione? Where is she? I need to talk to here. I … just what do you want Potter? Do you want me to grovel? Is that what this requires?”  
Harry just blinked at him. “Hermione? Talk? Grovel? I literally have no idea what you are on about.” Suddenly Ginny appeared behind him pushing Harry out of the way she kissed Draco on the cheek “Good morning love, where is Scorpius? Is Hermione with you?”  
Harry had no idea what sort of alternate universe hell he had got stuck in. Did his wife just kiss Malfoy on the cheek and ask after his son and Hermione? And call him love like old friends?  
“I lost her Ginny, she moved out I don’t know where to and I need to find her and beg her to come back.”  
Harry blinked. Hermione was living with Malfoy? How the fuck long had he been asleep? He looked over at the calendar.  
“Come in, we will sort this out.” She pulled him inside. “Sit, I doubt you have eaten. I will make food and coffee. You will talk.”  
“No time. I need to find her.”  
“I know where she is. Now we need a plan. Plans are not made on empty stomachs. Sit. Talk.”  
He sat. Harry sat. Harry needed to know when his life had become this unending nightmare of weirdness. Draco needed to talk. And so he did. He told Ginny. And by eavesdropping proxy Harry, everything. Why Hermione was living with them. How she had reacted when examining him and finding no death mark. All of it “Wait, you weren’t a death eater?” grumbled Harry sleepily “Shush” snapped Ginny. How they had taken their relationship to the next level and she had bugged out.  
“Yeah… she is going to see that as taking advantage of you, especially right now…”  
“She already said that, some nonsense about patients falling in love with healers, but that isn’t why I…”  
“Hell, anyone who sees you with her could tell you love the witch Draco, except her. Now, I can tell you where to find her, but the story you need to know she needs to tell you.”  
“So what about this grand plan?”  
Harry spoke up “Apologize and grovel. It is the only plan a man needs. Did your father teach you nothing? It was the first thing Arthur Weasley taught me when I got married.”  
Ginny whacked him with a dishtowel “I am sorry Ginny, would you like help cleaning up?” He winked at Draco over Ginny’s head.  
Draco felt better for the first time that day. Ginny gave him an address.  
When he arrived he was amazed to find himself at the gates of a cemetery. His stomach dropped for a moment fearing the worst, but he did not believe Ginny would have broken the news of Hermione’s death in such a brutal fashion. He entered and found her kneeling at a grave “Frank and Jean Granger Beloved Parents” showing both died in 1999.  
Hermione had felt like a coward casting muffliato to sneak all of her belongings out into her bag. She knew she could not leave without saying goodbye to Scorpius and it was one of the most painful conversations she had ever had with anyone.  
“Scorpius” she had called quietly. Looking up at her he had known.  
“You are leaving us.” It wasn’t a question.  
“I am moving back to my own home yes.”  
His eyes bright with tears all he could get out was “Why, what did I do wrong?”  
She gathered him to her “Nothing lovebug. I am always going to be available for you to talk to. But I promised to stay until your Daddy felt better and now he does. I have to go make sure my other patients feel better too. It isn’t fair to their little boys and girls for me to let them suffer. Do you understand?”  
He had said yes, but she knew he didn’t. How could he when she barely understood herself? “I have something for you.” She pulled out a coin. “All you have to do when you really need me is use this coin to call me. If you promise to only use it if it is a real emergency I promise to come no matter what. Deal?”  
“Deal.” He whispered. “Do you not love us anymore?”  
“Oh honey, I love you very much. You are such an amazing boy.”  
“And my Daddy. Do you love my Daddy?”  
“It’s… complicated. I am his healer. I am not supposed to do that. It is taking advantage of him. It is a very naughty thing to do.”  
“Is that why you have to go away? Because you are not supposed to love him?”  
Instead of answering she just hugged him. After collecting her ring she left. Fled was more like it. Fled to the two people who taught her right from wrong. The two people she had betrayed by stealing their memory.  
The two people who had died almost as soon as they got that memory back.   
It had been such a painful decision to obliviate them. To take away all memories of her so they would never know she existed. Never know they had a daughter. Especially knowing how long her mother had tried for a child. How many miscarriages and false alarms and still births. Now, to them, she was just another disappointment. Another tiny grave. Another painful reminder of an empty womb and an empty nursery. She knew it was better than what the death eaters would have done to them, but that didn’t mean it hadn’t hurt.  
As she kneeled at their grave she remembered how hard it had been to make the decision to bring back their memories. Wendell and Monica Wilkins dentists in Australia. They were leading such happy lives. Lives without her. Without the magic and the magical prejudices that wanted them dead because of who their daughter was.  
Her father had become a small plane pilot. They took frequent trips. Her mother had always wanted to travel but even one child was expensive, even for two successful dentists and so those dreams had been put on hold for the sake of their family.  
In the end she had obliviated them for selfless reasons but had given them their memories back for selfish ones. She had wanted her Mummy and Daddy back. Only to lose them a year later anyway.  
She rested her head on their stone “Oh Mummy Daddy I did a very bad thing. I took advantage of a patient. He was in a vulnerable place and I knew that and I did it anyway. I know better than to get emotionally attached to a patient. And I did. Worse. I think I am in love. And he… I know is just feeling grateful because I am his healer and I have helped him. Instead of stopping it I let things get physical and then I ran. I am a coward and a terrible healer. I could lose my license. I should lose my license. I have caused so much harm. There is no way I can ever make this right with him or his son. Oh that poor child. I hurt him so much.” She finally just broke down and sobbed.  
Draco felt like a horrible eaves dropper but once she had started talking he just could not stop listening. She loved him. She was worried SHE had hurt HIM. She loved his son. All of the things he had never even dared dream.  
Her sobbing drove him to action. He moved to her quickly dropped to his knees and gathered her to his chest. “Dr…Draco? How… What?”  
“Hermione… for once just stop asking questions.” He was actually amazed when she nodded and buried her face into his chest. He arranged himself against the tombstone and held her until she stopped crying.   
“I’m so sorry” she finally whispered against him the last thing I wanted was to be another person who took advantage of you and used you for my own ends.”  
He stroked her hair “I swear to Merlin Granger I am trying to be patient with you but if you treat me like a fragile child again I am going to start shouting, You have no right to tell me what I feel isn’t real. You are making decisions that affect both of us and my son without even consulting me.”  
“It was the best I could come up with spur of the moment.”  
“You are terrible at last minute plans.”  
She sniffled and nodded.  
“You want to tell me about your parents?”  
She told him about their final year n the run searching for horcruxes and how before she left she decided to obliviate her parents to protect them.  
“You did save their lives you know. There was a hit put out on them a few weeks after you left Hogwarts.” She shuddered in his arms.  
“Then when I knew it was safe I went and recovered their memories.”  
“That is supposed to be impossible.” He sounded odd when he said this she thought but let it go. “I am pretty good at the impossible. My father had become a bush pilot while in Australia. He and mother decided to take one final flight before coming home. There was a sudden storm and his plane went down.” She brought out the ring from the chain around her neck “This is all I have left.”  
“You gave my son your mother’s wedding ring to hold?!”   
“It was important that he be able to trust me.”  
“You are officially fired as my healer.”   
She nodded “I deserve that.”  
“And I demand that you move back in at once. Who is going to care if I exercise or eat breakfast if you don’t?”  
“But you just fired me…”  
“As my healer yes…it is probably too soon to assume anything else but… I don’t want you to move out. I want you to stay where Scorpius and I have access to you 24 hours a day 7 days a week for our mental and physical health.”  
“That sounds like a healer.”  
“Not if healers don’t get to sleep with their patients.”  
“I refuse to share a bed with Scorpius, his room his appalling.”  
He pinched her. “Is that a yes?”  
“That is a yes.”


	9. Chapter 9

“So Healer Granger will be moving in here permanently?” asked Narcissa.  
“That is the plan, yes” replied Draco  
“Well then” said Lucius “there is no reason for your mother and I to continue to stay here.”  
Hermione was confused “Wait.. isn’t this your home?”  
“Is that what you thought dear?”Asked Narcissa somewhat amused “goodness no, this is Draco’s home, purchased after, well, after the unpleasantness with Astoria.”  
“Divorce mother. The word you are looking for is divorce.”  
“No reason to be vulgar Draco”  
“Are we to assume you mean to marry Healer Granger” asked Lucius. Hermione was surprised to notice there was no disgust on his face or in his tone. And she could not quite keep the narrowing of her eyes to herself.   
Which of course he noted and laughed. “I do think you had better explain my new circumstances to healer Granger Draco, or she will continue her suspicions, which I am to assume from her attitude since arrive here must be founded in reality.”  
Draco sighed and nodded “Hermione, my father really doesn’t know who you are beyond what he has been told.”  
She stopped short and turned to him slowly “What does that mean precisely?”  
“The conditions of my release” began Lucius quite calmly “were very specific. Anyone it was deemed I could be a threat to, anyone I may have held a grudge against or felt the desire to harm in any way, those memories were removed. The memories of my family were left completely intact, or so I assume. I can really only assume that to be the case. It is the same for anyone who was spared a life sentence in Azkaban or executed. I know who you are from news reports and what I have been told. I know the same about my prior self from the same sources, but there is no context. No emotion behind it. Those reports may as well have been an entirely different person. I have no feelings about your blood status or you as a person. The memories of what caused those prejudices have been completely eradicated.”  
Draco’s reaction in the cemetery now made sense. “I … don’t quite know how to feel about that. I am, on the one hand, pleased you no longer wish for my death, but I am opposed to your free will being removed.”  
The room was silent. Narcissa finally replied. “Your compassion continues to surprise me Healer Granger. I would have assumed you would glory in the downfall of an enemy.”  
“Please, call me Hermione. I have had no enemies of my own choice. And I have never been pleased with the downfall of any person save one. And in the end I am not sure he could rightly still be called a ‘person’. I am sorry for your loss.” She said this sincerely and sorrowfully to Lucius who accepted her condolences with grace.  
The next day cubby came to tell her there was a very agitated man at the door for her.  
Coming downstairs she was both pleased and anxious to find none other than Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter at the door waiting for her. “I is sorry Miss Hermione, when I left there was only one.”  
“It is alright Cubby, Harry is very fast.”  
“You is Harry Potter?!”She squealed Harry was taken back “Then you must be Ronald Weasley! It is a very great honor to meet you! I is Cubby, Dobby was my Uncle.” The two men had to stand there while Cubby shook their hands and told them how very much Dobby had loved them and promise to visit the garden with her. Which was fine with Hermione because it gave her time to collect her thoughts and decide how she was going to explain this to Ron. Draco who was leaning on the staircase grinning was clearly going to be no help.  
When that was done she had to stand still while Ron cast every dispel magic spell he knew at her. “Sorry Mione, had to be sure you were not being ensorcelled.”  
“I am not spelled into staying here Ron.”  
“That is what Ginny said. Then just what the hell do you think you are doing Mione?!” Draco started to come forward to defend her when he heard Ron’s next words, clearly Ron had not seen him yet. “OK, so everyone knows you have probably had a crush on him since school, but dating PATIENT?! Are you mad?! You could lose your license, you could lose your position in the Ministry.”  
Crush on him since school? He was glad he wasn’t the only one “I most certainly did NOT have a crush on Draco Malfoy in school Ronald Weasley. You.. you GIT!”  
“Oh and you expect us to believe you hauled your prissy arse down to a Quidditch game for me and Harry? What position did I play Hermione?”  
“Beater?”  
Draco grinned. “Keeper Hermione, I was Keeper.”  
“I cannot see what this could possibly prove.”  
“You knew what position my Daddy played” piped up Scorpius behind her. When had he arrived “You Scorpius Malfoy are a traitor. And I only knew that because Harry was a Seeker.” She could hear Draco snickering.  
She could see Ginny running up the path. Thank Merlin “I am sorry Hermione, I tried to stop them. Stupid boys.”  
“And it is really none of your business Ronald Weasley. Besides, he fired me as his healer.”  
“Oh then I suppose we just came here to take the piss out of you.”  
“Have I mentioned lately how much I hate having boys for best friends?”  
“Not since I left for Romania, no.”  
She threw herself into his arms “I have missed you Ronald Billius Weasley, where are my children?”   
“Mum and Dad have them and they are not getting out of their grasp until they are spoiled rotten and you know it, so if you want to see them haul your prissy are to the burrow and you might as well haul the ferret’s prissy arse with you.” He reached down and ruffled Scorpius hair “And haul ferret junior along Mum and Dad never have enough kids to spoil.”  
After hugging her the three left.  
“Since school hunh?”  
“Shut up.” She blushed  
“What the hell was that anyway?”  
Hermione grinned from ear to ear “Acceptance.”

Prologue  
Ginny got her wish and was the maid of honor. The wedding was a small affair held at the burrow with the reception held at Draco and Hermione’s Manor. The only two who could possibly have been happier were Rose and Scorpius. Except when they were trying to maim one another. Rose declared him the most annoying boy she had ever met and Scorpius declared her the prettiest girl he had ever met. She responded to that statement by pushing him off of his broom.  
Three weeks after the wedding and one week after they returned from their honeymoon Hermione received a strange owl requesting her presence at St. Mungo’s.   
When she arrived she was ushered in to the room of a frail looking woman with black hair and blue eyes. A man she recognized was sitting by her bed holding her hand. There was no doubt who the pair were. Astoria Greengrass and Theodore Nott Jr.  
“Hello Healer Granger“ began Theo, uncertainly “this is my wife Astoria.”  
Hermione nodded “I am.. familiar.. how can I help you?”  
Astoria looked up weakly from her bed “I want you to explain to my son”she began coughing “Why I.. why..”  
“Why you abandoned him and his father to begin an affair and left them both to wonder why they were never good enough?”Hermione would have never spoken to one of her patients like this, but this woman was not one of her patients. She was the bitch who nearly destroyed the man and child she loved.  
Astoria nodded sadly. “I don’t expect you to understand, and I am not looking for forgiveness, but I don’t want my son to think I hated him or that it was his fault..”  
“But you are OK with Draco thinking it was his fault?”  
“I can’t pretend I didn’t blame him for the longest time. I wanted him to suffer. But I know now he had nothing to do with it. The curse that is killing me comes from my family.”She waved her hand at her medical charts.  
Hermione read the charts. The blood curse that was killing Astoria was rare but activated when she became pregnant with a male heir of a pureblood line. Had she been with a younger son it would not have occurred. There was no cure. She would die from the curse.  
“But why abandon Scorpius?”  
“When I first got sick I didn’t know what was wrong with me. I thought it could be contagious and make Scorpius sick. I knew it was a curse but not how it was passed on. I thought it was something with the Malfoy line and mine and I thought if I stayed away it would give him a chance, since he wasn’t sick when I left. And the longer I stayed away and he didn’t get sick the more certain I was that I was right. And I could not bear the thought of being near Draco, since I blamed him for my condition. It was … irrational I know. That is part of my illness. Theo was there for me at a time when I desperately needed someone. I just don’t want to die until someone knows who can explain it to Scorpius when he is older. Please.”  
Hermione nodded. “I will explain it. But don’t expect any more. I had to pick up the pieces of what you left behind because you couldn’t be bothered to send a note.” She glared at Theo “Either of you. If this is what you need o die in peace, you have it. But more than that? I just don’t have it in me. If Draco wants you to see your son he will make that decision. It is not up to me.”  
She left the hospital and went to find her husband.  
After a long walk she told him exactly what she had learned. He was silent for a long time staring in to the distance. “So none of it was me.”  
“None of it”  
“What do you think I should do?”  
She sighed “I want to tell you to let her die in the mess she created. But one day Scorpius will have questions. You want to have the right answers.”  
He nodded. “I won’t take him. But I will allow my mother to do so. If you will be there to help him through it when it is done.  
“Always my love. I will always be there.”


	10. Chapter 10

“So Healer Granger will be moving in here permanently?” asked Narcissa.  
“That is the plan, yes” replied Draco  
“Well then” said Lucius “there is no reason for your mother and I to continue to stay here.”  
Hermione was confused “Wait.. isn’t this your home?”  
“Is that what you thought dear?”Asked Narcissa somewhat amused “goodness no, this is Draco’s home, purchased after, well, after the unpleasantness with Astoria.”  
“Divorce mother. The word you are looking for is divorce.”  
“No reason to be vulgar Draco”  
“Are we to assume you mean to marry Healer Granger” asked Lucius. Hermione was surprised to notice there was no disgust on his face or in his tone. And she could not quite keep the narrowing of her eyes to herself.   
Which of course he noted and laughed. “I do think you had better explain my new circumstances to healer Granger Draco, or she will continue her suspicions, which I am to assume from her attitude since arrive here must be founded in reality.”  
Draco sighed and nodded “Hermione, my father really doesn’t know who you are beyond what he has been told.”  
She stopped short and turned to him slowly “What does that mean precisely?”  
“The conditions of my release” began Lucius quite calmly “were very specific. Anyone it was deemed I could be a threat to, anyone I may have held a grudge against or felt the desire to harm in any way, those memories were removed. The memories of my family were left completely intact, or so I assume. I can really only assume that to be the case. It is the same for anyone who was spared a life sentence in Azkaban or executed. I know who you are from news reports and what I have been told. I know the same about my prior self from the same sources, but there is no context. No emotion behind it. Those reports may as well have been an entirely different person. I have no feelings about your blood status or you as a person. The memories of what caused those prejudices have been completely eradicated.”  
Draco’s reaction in the cemetery now made sense. “I … don’t quite know how to feel about that. I am, on the one hand, pleased you no longer wish for my death, but I am opposed to your free will being removed.”  
The room was silent. Narcissa finally replied. “Your compassion continues to surprise me Healer Granger. I would have assumed you would glory in the downfall of an enemy.”  
“Please, call me Hermione. I have had no enemies of my own choice. And I have never been pleased with the downfall of any person save one. And in the end I am not sure he could rightly still be called a ‘person’. I am sorry for your loss.” She said this sincerely and sorrowfully to Lucius who accepted her condolences with grace.  
The next day cubby came to tell her there was a very agitated man at the door for her.  
Coming downstairs she was both pleased and anxious to find none other than Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter at the door waiting for her. “I is sorry Miss Hermione, when I left there was only one.”  
“It is alright Cubby, Harry is very fast.”  
“You is Harry Potter?!”She squealed Harry was taken back “Then you must be Ronald Weasley! It is a very great honor to meet you! I is Cubby, Dobby was my Uncle.” The two men had to stand there while Cubby shook their hands and told them how very much Dobby had loved them and promise to visit the garden with her. Which was fine with Hermione because it gave her time to collect her thoughts and decide how she was going to explain this to Ron. Draco who was leaning on the staircase grinning was clearly going to be no help.  
When that was done she had to stand still while Ron cast every dispel magic spell he knew at her. “Sorry Mione, had to be sure you were not being ensorcelled.”  
“I am not spelled into staying here Ron.”  
“That is what Ginny said. Then just what the hell do you think you are doing Mione?!” Draco started to come forward to defend her when he heard Ron’s next words, clearly Ron had not seen him yet. “OK, so everyone knows you have probably had a crush on him since school, but dating PATIENT?! Are you mad?! You could lose your license, you could lose your position in the Ministry.”  
Crush on him since school? He was glad he wasn’t the only one “I most certainly did NOT have a crush on Draco Malfoy in school Ronald Weasley. You.. you GIT!”  
“Oh and you expect us to believe you hauled your prissy arse down to a Quidditch game for me and Harry? What position did I play Hermione?”  
“Beater?”  
Draco grinned. “Keeper Hermione, I was Keeper.”  
“I cannot see what this could possibly prove.”  
“You knew what position my Daddy played” piped up Scorpius behind her. When had he arrived “You Scorpius Malfoy are a traitor. And I only knew that because Harry was a Seeker.” She could hear Draco snickering.  
She could see Ginny running up the path. Thank Merlin “I am sorry Hermione, I tried to stop them. Stupid boys.”  
“And it is really none of your business Ronald Weasley. Besides, he fired me as his healer.”  
“Oh then I suppose we just came here to take the piss out of you.”  
“Have I mentioned lately how much I hate having boys for best friends?”  
“Not since I left for Romania, no.”  
She threw herself into his arms “I have missed you Ronald Billius Weasley, where are my children?”   
“Mum and Dad have them and they are not getting out of their grasp until they are spoiled rotten and you know it, so if you want to see them haul your prissy are to the burrow and you might as well haul the ferret’s prissy arse with you.” He reached down and ruffled Scorpius hair “And haul ferret junior along Mum and Dad never have enough kids to spoil.”  
After hugging her the three left.  
“Since school hunh?”  
“Shut up.” She blushed  
“What the hell was that anyway?”  
Hermione grinned from ear to ear “Acceptance.”


End file.
